Ahmed Yahya Sends an Emotional Message Before Leaving Iraq Camp

Ahmed Yahya, the left-back of the Iraqi national team, left the 'Lions of Mesopotamia' camp in Chicago after it was confirmed he would miss the 2026 World Cup. The journey that began from La Coruña, Spain to America lasted 10 hours, but ended with the player returning to Baghdad after an injury interrupted his dream of participating in the major event.

Ahmed Yahya, 30 years old, sustained an injury during the friendly match against Spain last Friday at the Riazor Stadium. He entered as a substitute for Mirhas Doski in the 61st minute but did not last more than 11 minutes. In the 72nd minute, he felt a muscle strain and had to leave the field, with Mustafa Saadoun replacing him. At that time, the situation was unclear, but Graham Arnold acted cautiously and called up Ahmed McKenzie as a backup option in anticipation of any negative scenario.

After the delegation arrived in Chicago early Saturday morning, final medical examinations revealed the extent of the damage. The result was a second-degree tear in the hamstring, requiring a treatment and rehabilitation period of up to 4 weeks. This definitive diagnosis meant it was impossible for him to catch up with the World Cup, which kicks off on June 11, leaving him out of the group nine matches against France, Norway, and Senegal.

Before boarding the plane back to Iraq, Ahmed Yahya gathered with his teammates at the hotel and bid them farewell with emotional words: 'It is very difficult to leave you at this time, but I am confident in your chivalry and fighting spirit. I sincerely hope that God grants you success and that you achieve what this nation expects from you.'

He added, specifically addressing his competitors for the same position: 'I have full confidence that you will be up to the responsibility. I wish my brothers Ahmed McKenzie and Mirhas Doski special success, and I know you are capable of meeting the challenge.'

Yahya's injury brought back painful memories for Iraqi football fans. Iraq's historic star Adnan Dirjal missed the 1986 Mexico World Cup due to a similar injury days before the tournament started. Now, four decades later, the scene repeats with one of the current defense pillars, as if fate is reenacting the scenario of losing a key player before the kickoff.

Arnold had previously excluded Ahmed McKenzie due to the outstanding performance of the left-back duo Mirhas Doski and Ahmed Yahya. But with Yahya's confirmed absence, the Australian coach reinstated McKenzie to the final list for the 2026 World Cup to be the direct replacement. McKenzie is well-acquainted with Arnold's style and has previously participated in the qualifiers, and he will face a significant responsibility to fill Yahya's void.